Quick action switch



Jan. 11; 1949. M. 1.. JEFFR'EY QUICK ACTION SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1945 INVENTOR MAX L. .7 EFF/9F Y %.'/.Q L ar/71% A77Z RIVEY Jgn. 11, 1949. M. 1.. JEFFREY 2,459,077 UICK ACTION SWITCH I Filed June 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. MAX L. JEFFREY Patented Jan. 11, 1949 "unifies;

ing arcingi and-its; accompanyingno'rrosiotvof: the

contacts. It is also desirable to provide means: whereby the movements are ttansmtttedethrough over"- travel: means; thus eliminating breakage:

By my present i invention; I J'IHVB provided-1t a: switch which is; very compact,t. adapteda'to bet-s mounted in nearlyflany pia'ceawhere'suclnaaswitch is desirable; The: contacts?! enter, operated'rf in: a;

separate compartment from :the switchingmeensy which enablesthe stir-itching;-me'::r1s,.- or"*swi-tch"- operatingz means; to be lubricated: withoutrdangen-r oi "such lubricant getting oni-thefcontactsrmeans is also "providecl whereby. the operating-lever can Y bemovedfurtherthan ordinarily; contemplated;

without. endangering: the; other: mechanism.

Further advantagesaconsist inamimprowedic'onstructionofisnap-operatingzmechanism which has but: as relatively few pants andr-aremotisub'ject to .wear; a tin rprevious devices; These, and stil'i othenladvantages of? the invention, will become" more apparent fromlthe.ffollowing:-descriptionz,zofs' effe-lolai imsl (CL-200F109;

elcti io switches; and:

an. embodiment: theneofg which -xdescrintiontis illustrated by the:- accompanying: drawings: and forms a pamtl-of this'qspecifioatiom:

Inttheldl'awingszz- .Eig' lsisra, viewofiithe'sswitch in elemtioniwima; one==rof the-housing platesiremovedeand looking? into, that t portion of? the :compartment which houses theoontacts: i Fig.. Z-isasectional view: beingga wenticalzmedial section. taken ,omther-linee 2 & m? angle 1 lookingfln". the" direction-otianrows Fi 3%is1a view :simiial: torFig'iI l ctakemfnom the v othen, side of the-device; with theotheri' cover removed-p I I Figs. 4 and 5 are frontiandiside elevations re v spectively :ofarocker. shaft: operating-dever. re-

movedzfromcthe assemhlysa; Figss-v. 6, 7 antu118 ate: toprap'lane .fl'ofit' elvaltionale audi side :elevatione-1 Views respectively; ofia t. reckon; 5

Fig

5'. 92521116. 1 0 :al efi ont and side-elevationzfl" views: of spacer used iii oonjiinetion with-"the Figs; II -and i1 2- are *fiont min" "(Te elevaltionai views respectively of fwapaiwlmsed n coon-junctionwithlthero'ckeny t 7 viewsrrespeetiizely theai nteniowoper atin'glever; l'lsandets ane views'of the 'shaltt -leverused" F'i'g-sizlfisandmflearwfmntziandi side elevationalviewserespectivelwsofi afispringllu'sed in connection with the leyersrofi 'ig' sxlzfiito m lnclus'ive.

Throughoutzthisrspecificationttlike parts have beenzdesignatedibmlike refieltenee charactersv camingtout myiinne'ntionurpreferably pro--- Vidfi!EIE'hOHSiIigZWhTGhZiSGiWiWQd into two compattmentsiby aiapalstitiont? onei'ofithleicompantmentsisl 1 adapted: toihbusesthieilexzemcamrying the contacts which operate between the fixed contacts an connectedi to use nockixshaiti -whieh extends-4 anothenacomqnantmentmhioh liouses the operating mechanismnforzrmnivingsthe; conta'et leverl A'ii onenatingelever iszpnoviddtextexriorly of the house W ins, aidiinsiiablyz'secnred to wls-haft' which extendsmtoltherlastr-mlentinned compartment and-"carries thereon-laiswingeibleileventhat isconnected 'tothe shaft through an over travel' 'me'chenis'mu l 9. swingableileverlslprovfdediwithl an endwhich engagesrsa. lsecond lever whihtisw-part of come pos'itefv letter?comprisingamemher fiXed td the otheniendi ofzitheiroekcshaiit an'd has 2 re'- sflienttlcomnectiorrs::Withnasrockkar: Thewocker gagemenlii witlnsizpalwlsi: whiol' l ane adepteds 'fo'r alternate engagementsw projections; holding, e: member movement 'unti'l releasedibyrthe swingnhie memherz lvtoremaa'tioulanlyeltlzle inventlom:comm'isesa refe'rrlngi tol Eigai; 13;..theshousifig, indicated at" I0 which sis'zofegeneraily' reotnn gnlar' formatfon and isupnovidedtwiths.aslongitudiharllwextendihg' pal-rtifiim HE, dwidlingsithealiousinginto a contact *lever: comnantmentimanc'l aamechani'sin lh'ou'si'ng compartment 9:: Thm housing is closed onoppo' site sides ilby obver plates IZ' a suitabl gashet; SllEhfi'asilill beingziinterpose between'th'e cover' plfalteiean housing:.: :w1-1 is held onflo-"the 3 housing is provided with a boss l5 which opens into the contact compartment and is threaded as indicated at [6 for the reception of a conduit or the like. The lower end of the housing as viewed in the figures is provided with a boss I 8, in which a shaft 19 extends, being journalled in a bearing 20. The shaft extends'from the exterior of the housing into the chamber 9. The outer end of the shaft is serrated at 23 and carries thereon an operating arm comprising a lever 2| provided with a roller 22 on itsend. The serrated shaft is adapted to be secured to the lever 2| by an Allen set screw 24 which is threaded into the end of the shaft, which is split, and expands the shaft into contact therewith. The shaft l9 extends into the compartment 9, which is provided with a semi-circular portion at the lower end, as indicated at 27, and carries thereon, in said compartment, a short lever 30, more clearly shown in Figs, 17 and 18. The lever comprises a ring shaped body 3| providing a close fit with the-shaft and is secured onto the shaft by a taper pin 32 which extends through openings in the lever and the shaft. Extending from the body of the lever is a neck 33 which terminates in a rectangular head34. A swinglever 3B is also .journaled on the'shaft l9, and comprises a construction best shown in Figs. and 16. It includes-a ring shaped end 31; adapted to be journaled on the shaft l9, provided with aneck 38, and which end is provided with a slot 39 permitting-the same to be disposed with its portions on either side of the lever 30. The portions 38 and the body of this lever above the neck 38 are complementary to the neck 33 and the head 34? on the short lever.

The end of the lever 36 is provided with a U- shaped slot 40, thelegs of which are parallel to each other. lever and ,theswing' lever is provided in the form ofa C'-shaped spring, shown :in Figs, 19 and 20. This spring comprises .a circular body indicated at 42, adapted to surround the rings 3! and 31 of the levers30 and'36 respectively, and provided with neck: engaging portions 43 which seat on the necks 33 and 38 of the two levers. i Y

The sprin'g is shown as being of a liminated' structure comprising the inner portion having the outwardly bent parts 43-forming the seating parts, and the reinforcin spring elements enspring is shown biasing the lever in one direction,

it willbe appreciatedthat theusprlng'can be on the otherside if desired, or,in some instances, it

may be omitted from'the structure entirely. I The rock shaft 5.0 is journalled in a bearing carried by a boss 49 on the-partition H in the upper part of the housing. The end of the rock shaft which extends into the compartment 8 is knurled and carries thereon thecontact lever 5|. Therock, shaft extends through the bearing into the compartment 9 and carries on its end the rocker, shown in Figs. 6 to B inclusive. The rocker includes a body 520i semi-circular form, provided with a cylindrical step as indicated at 53 and a shank 54 of reduced diameter, the sheet A connection between the short neck 58, the dimensions of which correspond to the arm 55, and the end of which terminates in a circular disc 59, figures 4 and 5.

The disc 59 is of a diameter which permits it to v enter into the U-shaped slot on the lever 36, and

provides a sliding but close fit with the sides of the slot 40.. The lever 51 is held on the shank 54 by a ring 6! best shown in Figs. 9 and 10, which is provided with a projection 62 of similar shape I and dimensions to the neck 58 on the lever 51 and the lever 55. The ring 6] is provided with holes 'therethrough, as is the shank 54, through which a taper pin 63 may extend for locking the ring and the member 52 onto the rocker arm. Under these conditions, it will be seen that the lever 51 is free to reciprocate on the rocker body, but that the rocked body must move together with the shaft 50. Movement between the two parts is transmitted by a C-shaped spring 65, the open end of which engages'with the necks 58 and arms 55 and 62 of the members 51, 52 and BI respectively, the sprin being sufliciently wide to engage all three elements simultaneously.

Although the spring 65 is shown comprising but one part; it will be obvious that if greater tension is required, more than one part may be used as was stated in connection with the spring 42. The rocker body'is provided with a pair of laterally extending arms 56 which are adapted forv alternate engagementby pawls, shown in' Figs. 11 and 12.

Each pawl comprises a base 15; which is journalled on a pivot pin 7| secured in the partition and maybe locked thereon by a split ring 12. The pawls are each provided with shoulders 13 adapted to engage the upper surface of the rocker arms 55 and prevent the rocker from moving. As shown in Fig. 3, the pawl to the right is in engagement with'the right hand arm. The

lower e'nd'of each pawl is provided with a pro jection 15 which extends laterally therefrom into engagement with the sides of the lever 36. vThese projections may remain in contact with the lever 36 at all times during the operation thereof. The movement of "the pawls outward towards the sides of the casing is limited byabutments, such as .16. Springs indicated at H are provided for urging the pawls'against the lever 35, being seated in recesses in the sides of the pawls and upon pins 18 disposed in the side ofthe housing.

The contact lever 51 is provided with a con-" tact carrying bar 85, secured in the end of the lever and which bar'projects from oppositesides of the lever and has heads on the opposite ends. The bar guides the contact strips 82 which" are disposed on oppositeysidesjof the lever 5|. The strips in turnca'rry the contact 83. The bars are held away from the sides of the lever against contacts may be used to "open or close a circuit as desired. The 1ever2-l is disposed in such a 'by the -.mechanism which the 1' switch is to :c'on- .trol. :It .can Ebe a movingvipart corsa scam-tin :the event that-zit is "to be iused za's =a limit:.-'s witch. Movement 'ofrt'he lever 2-1 :transmits throughthe shaft!ltiltotheishortileveri :be ."noted that It'he neck 5.33 eiof the .lever '"alignmexit withtthemehkffiisof the' swingiieverfiafi, althoughithetswing lever-pan:moveiindeperrdently .of \thewshort lever .39. When the shortaleverlis moved, 'movement :is transmitted *tosrthesswing leverithroug'h the .me'dium iof'Lthespr'mgaA Z which is'Wid'e 'enough :to engagektherneckmn both levers simultaneously. ..In fthisimanner, :the :IShUiitl lever may .move the swing lever, shut :tbothilevers rare capable :of I movement relative "lGO :ea'chother in event either :one :meets with :a predetermined amountof rresistance. I

iThes'swing lever :36 :beinguswung, ithe :notch'ed :end ii), which isrin enga em'eritzwith'rtheacircular portion 59 of *the lever tel-causes .thisil'ever: ixbe swung about its pivot, the circular'apnrtion 59 sliding .in the :U -shaped slot 4.0;

The lever .51 :as previously state dnhasitlrejn'eck :58, which .is inalignment with izthe sprojections fiiirand ii .on the rocker hody '52; and sspacer Bil. The ends of the spring 65 engage the necks zroi the rocker body and the .lshortilever kin a manner similar to the operation of the spring flgand when the lever 57 is :rotated,' the movement is transmitted through. the spring 65 "to the-atwo necks-of thelrocker' body iThis would :cause the" rocker body to be rockedcounterclockwisezas viewed in Fig.8 if'the pa'wl l wasinotiholding the :rcc'ker :against .-:-movement; that since the i rocker cannot move, being held by' the pawl 10, 'the-ends-of the spring are spread apart etc the member 5'! moving relative-to the (alter increasing the spring-tension: on the necks fiflaancl the arm 55 which are now -ou't dfalignment with each other. Therefore, a considerable amount of tension is placed on the rock lever due to this action through the spring'65. *It'Will be noted, however, that the .ieverdfi zissini contact with :the

projection on the end of the -,,-pa-wl,-sand that as the swing lever 36 .is. swung ,,,.increasing the tension on the spring "65,*the latchisgradually being moved to the right, moving the shoulder 73 on. the arm .56 ,of the. roekilever; Eventually, the alever 435 moves the .pawl to raapnint where'ithe shoulder 1.3 of the .pawldisengages from itheza'rm 5516f the rociclever. .Atlthistimnf-the spfingitem s'ion tending .to -realign the eroclcer meniber ".52 and the .iever .5]. is agreatestsduef-to the misalignmento'f thettwoiparts, and .whenl'the lat'chishoulder l3 slips off the arm of the rock 1ever, the spring 65 brings these parts back together, and the rock lever is snapped counterclockwise to the opposite position from that shown in Fig. 3. The spring Tl moves the latch on the left side over into engagement with the other arm of-the rock lever.

It will be thus seen that the rock leverlidoes not move until the shaft 36 has attained-ls fficient movement to release the latch, but when the movement does occur, it is with a snap action. This, obviously, causes the shaft 50 to rotate, carrying with it the contact arm 5| and thecontact points 83 which are snapped quickly into or out of contact with the stationary contact 85.

It should be particularly noted that then-lovement necessary to cause a snap action of the lever 2| is relatively small as compared with the previous devices. The latch is started to release as soon as the lever 36 starts to move, and it eg-sawed? 6 doesz'not maveithe mrvblemiofzcarrying 1a roller past center iUII-IthI-Z rocker arm as :in :myu'prior patent. dsgr therefore, tpossibl'efto provide a snapzaction switch gwhichtisxquick inz'its-ioperation and iruggediin rconstructioneenabling zit/to carry afihig'h "currentfand 'hassazminimumiof' movement at the switch arm. The -qover rthrow-ponnect on between: the :switohrarm :arrd the lever 36 is substar-itiaillytthe"sameiasrthat described zinzth'e'prior patent. r

- ltashouldfshe *particularly:noted thatithe. mechanismizis sconsiderablyrsimplified, making'the mashining mperations much :simpler "than were :previouslyrrequired'g and that .the wearing parts are "fewerrininnmber, :and require less movement, andstherefore'wear less.

' It should-also sbeznoted that :the'spring 45 in someliinstances :may'tbe placed on the other :side of'theudevicaior; in some 'cases,.may be eliminated entirely. This event that i it :"is desired to 10p- .erate tlie switch :first :in :one direction to close one rset 'of scontacts, 1 and then .in the :other zdirecthan toiclosethe othersetof contacts. In this .casefthessprings necessary for the operation could be springs :11 :operating on "the latches 10.

. LiHaving .thllS :descri'bed myzinvention, I .am aware thatmumerous :and extensive departures may ibezm'ade 'therefromWithout departing from the :spirit cor scope 16f therappendedl-claims.

-1.-An :apparatus ;.of:the rclass described comprising ian rope-ratin'gttarm and :a shaft ssecured thereto, 2a ileveracarried :byrsaid shaft :and rmov" able therewith, .ea :second 4 lever having a forked endzswingablei by saidzi'irstlever and spring means provi'dingwidriving icnnnection therebetween, a contact carryingtlever land a r0 ck .shaft L secured thereto, a rocker connect'ed' to said :rock shaft having --=a.rms-exten'd-ing therefrom on opposite sides of the shaft, paw-1s adapted for alternate engagement with "each-oneof sad arms, a lever having a proieotmn-engageable with said fork and-m'ovable thereby and spring means connecting said rocker and said last mentioned lever.

An apparatus 'of 'the "class described comprising a=swingable lever having a bifurcated end, a rook =shaft and a' rocker thereon, a lever -'rotatalily 'j'ournalle'd onsaid rock shaft andhaving a'port-ion *en'gaged*by*- said bifurcated end, spring means for connecting said last mentioned lever arrd'sa-idrocker.

, 3. An apparatus of the class described comprising'a-swingable lever having "its'free end formed toprovideasiotthe side walls of which are paraliel',"a rocbshaftandarocker carried hereby, a lever" rdtatablyjournalled on said shaft and-having a curved portion disposed for tangential engagement with said parallel side walls, spring means for connecting said last lever to said rocker lever and permit relative movement therebetween upon the rocker lever meeting a predetermined resistance, said spring means adapted to rock said rocker upon release of said resistance.

4. An apparatus of the class describe-d comprising an operating member, a shaft for supporting said operating member, a drive lever and a driven lever carried by the shaft and spring means connecting said levers, said driven lever being swingable and formed with a pair of spaced arms on its end; a rock shaft, a contact leverpawl releasing contactwith said driven lever, means to rock said rocker comprising a lever rotatably journ'alled relative to the rocker and spring means connecting said last mentioned lever and said rocker, said last mentioned lever having a portion disposed between said spaced arms and movable thereby.

5. A switch comprising a housing, a partition dividing the housing into separate compartments, an operating shaft rotatably journalled in the housing and extending into dne of said compartments and a latch operating lever carried thereby, an operating lever carried by said shaft outside the housing, spring means connecting said lever in the housing to said shaft and permitting relative movement between the lever and'the shaft upon either the lever or shaft meeting with predetermined resistance, a rock shaft journalled in said partition and a contact carrying'lever carried thereby in said other compartment, means for rocking said second shaft and swinging said contact carrying lever comprising a rocker secured to said shaft in said first compartment and having a pair of pawl engaging arm carried thereby, pawls supported by the housing movable for alternate engagement with said pawl engaging arms, extensions for said pawls extending opposite to said latch operating lever and spring means for holding said pawls into engagement with said latch operating lever; and means for rocking said shaft by said latch operating lever through said rocker comprising a lever rotatably mounted on said rock shaft and having a pro- J'ection thereon, said rocker being provided with a projection and a C shaped spring engaging said projections and providing a resilient driving connection therebetween said rocker.

6. An apparatus of the class described including a rocker, a lever, spring means for connecting said rocker and lever together, a pair of arms extending from said rocker, pawls each having a surface for alternate engagement with one of said arms, anextension of each pawl, a second lever in interlocking engagement with the first lever and swingable to move said first lever, said pawls adapted to hold said rocker against move ment and said extensions being disposed in the path of travel of said second lever, said second lever adapted to release a pawl from locking enagement with said rocker and said spring means adapted to move said rocker upon release of said pawl.

7. An apparatus of the class described includ-- ing a rocker and a lever journalled upon a common axis, spring means operably connecting said rocker and lever together, a pair of armsextending laterally from said rocker on-opposite sides thereof, a pair of pawls each having a surface for alternate latching engagement with one of said arms, an extension on each pawl, a second lever having a pair of spaced parallel arms on its end, the first lever having a curved end disposed between said arms adapted to be swung by said first lever, said pawls adapted to hold said rocker against movement and said extensions being disposed in the, path of travel of said second lever, said second lever adapted to alternately engage an extension for the pawl holding the rocker to move said pawl'from locking engagement with said rocker and said spring means adapted to move said rocker upon release of said pawl.

8. An apparatus of the class described, a rock shaft, lever means for rocking said shaft including a first portion connected to the shaft and a second portion having spring means connecting it to the first portion, means for swinging said second portion including a swingable lever, a pivotal connection between said second portion and said swingable lever, and holding means for engaging said first portion and holding it against movement until a predetermined force is exerted by said spring between said first and second portions.

9. An apparatus of the class described, a rock shaft, lever means for rocking said shaft including a first portion connected to the shaft and a second portion having spring means connecting it to the first portion, means for swinging said second portion including a swingable lever, a pivotal connection between said second portion and said swingable lever, and holding means for engaging said first portion and holding it against movement until a predetermined force is exerted by said spring between said first and second portions, and means on said swingable lever for releasing said holding means.

' MAX L. JEFFREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,979,277 McLoughlin Nov. 6, 1934 2,203,057 Moore June 4, 1940 2,270,951 Jeffrey Jan. 27, 1942 2,280,262 Purat Apr. 21, 1942 2,294,559 Jeffrey Sept. 1, 1942 2,352,815 Van Valkenburg July 4, 1944 2,369,964 Goff Feb. 20, 1945 

